Intervertebral implant with cage and rotating element

• US 5,888,228 A
• Filed: 02/02/1998
• Issued: 03/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Synthes USA LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Synthes USA LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Benoit, Alfred, Knothe, Inga
• Primary Examiner(s): Willse, David H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GHERBI, SUZETTE JAIME J
• Application Number:
  US09/011,014
• Time in Patent Office: 421 Days
• Field of Search: 623/17, 623/16, 606/61
• US Class Current: 623/17.16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/86 Pins or screws or threaded wires; nuts therefor A61B17/72 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30744 End caps, e.g. for closing an endoprosthetic cavity
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/442 Intervertebral or spinal discs, e.g. resilient non-disc-shaped intervertebral inflatable pockets A61F2/441; non-disc-shaped intervertebral fusion implants A61F2/4455
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/446 having a circular or elliptical cross-section substantially parallel to the axis of the spine, e.g. cylinders or frustocones
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/447 substantially parallelepipedal, e.g. having a rectangular or trapezoidal cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4611 of spinal prostheses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/2835 Bone graft implants for filling a bony defect or an endoprosthesis cavity, e.g. by synthetic material or biological material
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30153 rectangular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30158 trapezoidal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3021 frustoconical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30235 tubular, e.g. sleeves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30261 parallelepipedal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3028 polyhedral different from parallelepipedal and pyramidal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30291 spirally-coiled, i.e. having a 2D spiral cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30331 made by longitudinally pushing a protrusion into a complementarily-shaped recess, e.g. held by friction fit
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30403 Longitudinally-oriented cooperating ribs and grooves on mating lateral surfaces of a mainly longitudinal connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/305 Snap connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30593 hollow
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30777 Oblong apertures
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30845 with cutting edges
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3085 : with a threaded, e.g. self-tapping, bone-engaging surface, e.g. external surface
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30904 : serrated profile, i.e. saw-toothed
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30975 : made of two halves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0025 : Connections or couplings between prosthetic parts, e.g. between modular parts; Connecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0033 : made by longitudinally pushing a protrusion into a complementary-shaped recess, e.g. held by friction fit
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0019 : rectangular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0026 : trapezoidal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0063 : Three-dimensional shapes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0067 : conical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0069 : cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0082 : parallelepipedal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0091 : helically-coiled or spirally-coiled, i.e. having a 2-D spiral cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00023 : Titanium or titanium-based alloys, e.g. Ti-Ni alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00179 : Ceramics or ceramic-like structures

Abstract

The intervertebral implant comprises a frame-type cage (1) which is open at its top and base faces (11 and 12 respectively) with two lateral faces (13, 14), a front wall (15) and a rear wall (16). A rotating element (2) is mounted in the cage (1) so as to be capable of rotation. The outer surface of the rotating element (2) is provided with a helical structure (21). The helical structure (21) protrudes beyond the cover and base faces (11, 12) outside the confines of the cage (1). The front wall (15) has an aperture (17) for the introduction of a drive tool with which the rotating element (2) in the cage (1) can be made to rotate.

Claims

1. An intervertebral implant comprising a frame-like cage having open cover and base faces, two lateral faces, and front and rear walls, a rotation element rotatably mounted in the cage and having a helical structure on an outer surface;

wherein the helical structure extends out of the cage beyond the cover and base faces; and

the front wall has an aperture for receiving a drive tool for rotating the rotation element in the cage.

2. The implant of claim 1, wherein the rotation element is hollow and includes a sealing cover.

3. The implant of claim 1, wherein the cage has rectangular parallelepiped shape and the rotation element has a circular cylindrical shape.

4. The implant of claim 1, wherein the cage has a wedgeshape and the rotation element has a conical shape.

5. The implant of claim 1, wherein the rotation element includes perforations in the form of longitudinal recesses having cutting edges.

6. The implant of claim 1, wherein the cage has two parts.

7. The implant of claim 1, wherein the cover and base faces are equipped with longitudinal grooves.

8. The implant of claim 1, wherein the lateral faces are equipped with longitudinal hole recesses.

9. The implant of claim 1, wherein the helical structure comprises an outside thread or a helical groove or channel.

10. The implant of claim 1, wherein the helical structure extends out of the cage and beyond the cover and base faces, by 1-2 mm.

11. The implant of claim 1, wherein the pitch of the helical structure is at least 2 mm.

12. The implant of claim 1, wherein the depth of the helical structure is between 0.8 and 2.2 mm.